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NESA NETWORKED LEARNING

Holding Hope: Envisioning Possibility, Building Connection & Acting with Purpose in Uncertain Times

An online series for whole-school communities to develop “Hope Capacity” – the learned ability to envision possibilities, sustain agency, build meaningful connections, and act purposefully in uncertain times. 

WITH ELLEN MAHONEY & STEVE KARAISKOS, LEEANNE LAVENDER, AND AARON MONIZ

Dates: Oct 6, Nov 10 & 17, 2026 Open To: All Schools
Type: 3-Part Series For: Whole School Communities
Delivery: Online (Synchronous) Registration: Schools & Individuals

REGISTER NOW

Program Overview

Schools across the NESA region continue to navigate extraordinary complexity. Ongoing conflict, rapid change, increasing demands on educators and families, and growing concerns about young people's wellbeing require us to hold multiple realities at once: uncertainty and hope, challenge and possibility, vulnerability and strength.

This online learning series invites educators, parents, counselors, school staff, and leaders into a shared exploration of how we remain grounded, connected, and purposeful during difficult times.

More than a wellness series, this offering on The Pedagogy of Hope will draw on research from the learning sciences (cognitive science), developmental psychology, and resilience studies. The series combines research, reflection, and practical application, translating current knowledge into strategies participants can use immediately in their homes, classrooms, schools, and communities. 

SUPPORTED BY
Amplify
i-Ready by Curriculum Associates

WHO IT'S FOR

The NESA Community – parents, educators, counselors, leaders, and school staff.

SCHEDULE

The three one-hour sessions will be held live at the same time on each date:

Tuesdays, 4:00-5:00 PM (Athens, Greece time)

  • October 6, 2026 (GMT+3)
  • November 10, 2026 (GMT+2)
  • November 17, 2026 (GMT+2)

Each session will be followed by an optional 15-minute Q&A, for participants who wish to stay and continue the discussion.

REGISTRATION

Fees include access to all three sessions and the session recordings.

School Registration Fees
  • NESA Member & Affiliate Schools: US$290
  • Non-Member Schools: US$385

For an unlimited number of participants from a single school community.

Individual Registration Fees
  • Individual Participant: US$60

For participants from schools without a subscription.

Please review the Cancellation Notice before registering.

About the Speakers

Ellen Mahoney
Ellen Mahoney

CEO & Founder, Sea Change Mentoring
LinkedIn

ELLEN MAHONEY is an alumna of international schools and the founder of Sea Change Mentoring, created in 2013 to promote relationship-based learning and wellbeing within international educational settings. As a Third Culture Kid and a former high school teacher and counselor, Ellen applies her cultural fluency and professional experience to cultivate trust and drive in school communities around the world. She serves as a Council of International Schools (CIS) Affiliated Consultant, supporting schools in their wellbeing and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) efforts. Ellen has contributed significantly to youth development literature, co-authoring works on university transitions, suicide prevention, and international school transitions. 

Ellen has extensive experience at the intersection of child development and digital life, having served as the former Director of Program Quality at the blended learning and mentoring organization, iMentor. She was invited by the National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR) to contribute her expertise to the national guide on evidence-based practices for digital mentoring, part of the national standards for youth mentoring organizations across the United States. Ellen also played a crucial role in helping international schools worldwide ensure that students, parents, and faculty remained connected and well-supported as schools rapidly transitioned online at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ellen is based in Hong Kong but works across all regions. 

Steven Karaiskos
Steven Karaiskos

Crisis Team Facilitator, Sea Change Mentoring
LinkedIn

Dr. STEVEN KARAISKOS is an educator and emotion scientist with over 25 years of experience supporting the emotional well-being of students, educators, and communities. A longtime advocate for suicide prevention and grief awareness, he serves as Director of Postvention & Community Programs at The Kita Center. Steven began his career in early childhood education, has taught through the university level, trains educators in SEL and relational practices, and lives in Wells, Maine.

LeeAnne Lavender
LeeAnne Lavender

Storytelling & Service Learning Specialist
LinkedIn

LEEANNE LAVENDER partners with schools worldwide to turn mission statements from static ideals into lived, daily practice. By weaving together community engagement, storytelling-informed pedagogy, and authentic local/global citizenship, she helps educators create learning experiences where students apply their knowledge and skills in local and global contexts with purpose and impact. LeeAnne is committed to helping educators build changemaker and changeseeker cultures that empower students to engage in positive, purposeful action fueled by the power of stories. 

Learn more at leeannelavender.com

Aaron Moniz
Aaron Moniz

Co-Founder, Inspire Citizens
LinkedIn

AARON MONIZ is the CEO, Co-Founder, and Director of Inspire Citizens, a global organization that partners with schools to design and implement programs focused on service learning, sustainability, student leadership, and active global citizenship. A Third Culture individual who grew up internationally, Aaron brings a global perspective to his work supporting schools in aligning vision, learning, and community impact through whole school systems for global citizenship.

Before founding Inspire Citizens, Aaron was an international school educator and has since worked with schools around the world as an author, keynote speaker, workshop leader, professional learning partner, youth empowerment conference facilitator, and whole school strategic planning advisor. Through frameworks such as the Empathy to Impact Approach to support curriculum design, the Global Impact Schools Self-Discovery Tool, and the Whole School Global Citizenship Roadmap, Aaron supports schools in curriculum enhancement, professional learning design, service learning integration, strategic planning, and the development of meaningful K–12 learning experiences connected to authentic action and reflection.

Aaron cares deeply about the world and believes strongly in the power of educators and schools to shape both the present and the future for the better. His work focuses on helping schools strengthen existing systems and build cultures where young people are empowered to create positive impact in their communities and beyond.

2026-2027 NESA NETWORKED LEARNING